Captured by award-winning producer Anssi Kippo (Children Of Bodom, Impaled Nazarene, Entwine etc.) at Astia-Studios in Lappeenranta, Finland, ENSIFERUM‘s predominantly analog-recorded One Man Army brandishes eleven stunning tracks of the band’s signature synthesis of Viking, folk and power metal swathed in fantastical themes of Scandinavian lore.
One Man Army is already procuring the praise of media outlets both stateside and abroad. Revolver Magazine champions the record noting, “Finland’s ENSIFERUM have long traded in their designation as a “folk metal” group, but on the band’s sixth studio album the metal side of that label is decidedly dominant. And it’s epic metal at that: ‘One Man Army’ blasts forth with symphonic guitar orchestrations, double-time drum gallops, quick-changing dynamics and operatic vocal chorales that would make 19th century homeboys Pacius and Sibelius proud,” Metal Hammer gushes, “ENSIFERUM have produced their most polished album to date; one that bulges with bombast and rages with frostbitten grit… these northern sword-wielders are close to finding the perfect recipe for taking folk into the mainstream of metal – all without losing a shred of authenticity,” while MetalSucks, in a near perfect 4/5 rating commends the band for being “warlike and fiery,” dubbing One Man Army, “a perfect example of the band’s standout sound: it’s definitely a genre piece, but it’s the best of its kind.” Loudwire concurs, “ENSIFERUM has become one of folk metal’s finest acts…ENSIFERUM’s music awakens one’s inner warrior… it’s a pity fighting to the death with swords and battle axes is illegal nowadays.“
